Cut-out foe



D. E. WESCOTT.

CUT-OUT FOR ELECTRIC LIGHTING SYSTEMS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.31\1916.

1,313,438., Patented Aug. 19 ,1919.

12 mm; IMlL 17 mm; IM 2 E 33 i 33 M16 25 36' 34 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE.

DANA. E. WESCOTT, OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, ASSIENOR TO LOUIS K. mama-SGHMIIYI', TRUSTEE, OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA.

Specification of Letters ratent.

Patented Aug. 19, 1919.

Application filed larch 31. 1918. Serial No. 88.124.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DANA E. WEsco'rr, citizen of the United States,residinr'r at #729 So. Mich. street, South Bend, in the county of St.Joseph and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Cut-Outs for Electric-Lighting Systems, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to cut-outs for electric lighting systems and hasfor its particular object to rovide means which when operated by a soenoid in one direction will serve to revent the closing of a switch in alamp circuit, and when again 0 erated in the same direction, will allowsai switch to close.

This device is particularly adapted for use in lighting systems whereinit is desirous of extinguishing some of the lamps fprevious to theothers, and performing the unction by a control which is located at acentral station.

These and other objects hereinafter described, are attained by the meansillustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view showmg two auxiliary lamp circuitsconnected to an arc-lamp circuit by the improved cut-out.

Fig. 2 is a sideelevation of a portion of the cut-out.

Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the lower end of the suspensionbar shown in Fi 1 and 2, and

i 4 is a view in elevation of the notched me rs of the cut-out shown ina flattened condition.

Similar reference numerals in all of the figures of the drawing desi atelike arts.

To more fully set forth t e use of t a 1nvention, it is herewithillustrated ln connection with a lightingsystem, described and claimedin an ap licatlon for patent Serial Number 88,125, led March 31, 1916,and

which forms no part of the present invention.

As shown in the drawing there is connected in series with an arc- 1amclrcuit 5 a Hair of solenoid magnets 14, wh1ch control a ouble core 15,and the same carries a contact plate 16 whose ends are adapted to engagewith the stationary contacts 17, to close the auxiliary lamp circuits 18and 19 and which receive power from any suitable source, preferablythrough a transformer 20 of a primary circuit 13. The lamps 23 and 24respectively of these circuits are connected in multiple therewith.

It being desirous of extinguishing the lamps of one circuit before thosein another circuit, in this case the lamps 23, the improved cut-out isprovided which is constructed as follows: Contact plate 16 is providedon its up er side with an insulating block 24 provi ed with a centralaperture through which passes a rod 25, which also passes throu h anaperture in said contact plate 16. Sand rod is provided with a head 26which is larger than the diameter of the aperture in block 24 and bywhich the rod 18 suspended. The lower end of the rod is provided with across-arm 27 which is adapted engage the ed of the teeth 28 and 29 m thecylindrica members 30 and 31 to rotate said rod and arm. These clindrical membersere supported in a suite le frame 32 and said rod 25passes freely throu h said members 30 and 31 which are space a art withtheir teeth disposed opposite each 0t er. The cross-arm is positionedbetween said members in a position to reciprocate from engagement withone member to the other. The teeth of member 30 are formed with notchesof equal depth .betweenthem, and those of the member 31, are formed withalternate deep and shallow notches, (as clearly shown in Fig. 4 of thedrawing) and the teeth of one set or member are arran in staggeredrelation to the teetlrof the ot er member.

Thus it will be seen that when the crossarm 27 dro s downward from adeep n in the mem r 31, (as shown in Fig. 3) it engages the inclinededge of a tooth in member 30 which forces it sidewise in its course tothe bottom of the notch and consequently rotates the rod 25 beyond thevertical alinement ofthe point oi the next tooth in the member 31, sothat in movin upwardl it will en ge the'inclined edge 0 said tooth whichwi l guide it to the next notch and-in position to engage anothertoothiu the memer 30 when it again descends.

The contact plate 16 is resiliently supported from the core 15 byproviding springs 33, which are sup rted on nuts 34 adjustably securedon t e lower ends of suspension rods 35 which are secured in any desiredmanner to the core 15. These suspension rods 35 are preferably )ositio;3d one on each side of the rod 25 an pass freely through apertures inthe block 2i and the contact plate 16. it being understood, that none ofthe several parts of the cut-out device are ever in contact with theplate 16. By suporting the plate 16 in the manner described, it isobvious that the core can move a slight distance independently of theplate 16, so that anv slight variation in the voltage of the arc-lampcircuit. will not disturb the engagement between the plate 16 and itscontacts, thereby furnishing to the lamps 23 and 24 an even power whichwill give a steady light.

As shown in the drawing, circuits 18 and 19 are preferably formed withthree wires, one wire 36 being common to both circuits, and togetherwith a wire 87 forms the circuit 19, and said wire 37 is connected tothe terminal of one member 37 of the transformer 20, and the remainingwire 38 of the circuit 18, is connected to one of the fixed contacts 17The opposite contact 17 is connected to one terminal of another member39 of the transformer 20, the other end of said member 39 beingconnected to the same terminal of the member 37' as is the wire 36. Thusthe transformer member 39 is connected in circuit 18, while the member37' is connected in circuit 19.

The operation of the device is as follows Assuming that the parts arepositioned as shown in F1 1. the lamps in all of the circuits are ligited. It now being desirous of extinguishing the lamps 23 in circuit 18and keep them unlighted while the lamps in circuit 19 will continue toburn, the operator at the central station of the arc circuit 5 willmomentarily open the switch 8 which will break the circuit 13 at thecontacts 12. This will shut oil the current furnished to the circuits 18and 19 and con uently extinguish all of the lamps in all of t ecircuits. Simultaneously the magnets 14 are deenergized, therebyallowing the core 15, plate 16,

and rod 25 to descend. This will cause the cross-arm to descend from oneof the deep notches in member 31. (as at 41 in Fig. 2) and engage theinclined ed e of the tooth 42 in the member 30 which will direct itdownward on an incline to the bottom of the notch and consequentlyrotate the rod 25. Immediately thereafter the operator returns theswitch 8 to a closed position. which will at once ener ize the magnets 9and 1 4 and the cores willbe drawn upwardly. The upward movement of thecore 10 will close the circuit 13. At the same time, the core 15 willascend together with the plate 16, rod 25 and its cross-arm 27, but saidcross-arm in moving upwardly from the notch of tooth =12, will engagethe inclined edge in the tooth 43 in the member 31 and be directed intothe 'rod 25, and consequently shallow notch of that tooth. This willlimit the upward movement of the,plate 16 and revent the ends of theplate 16 from engaging with the contacts 17 and thus keep the circuit 18open with its lamps 23 unlighted. The circuit 19 is not affected by theopen circuit 18 and will receive current through the transformer fromthe circuit 13, and its lamps will remain li hted as long'as thiscircuit is closed.

Shou d the member 31 be constructed with alternate doc and shallownotches, (as shown in the rawing) another opening and closing of theswitch.8, will rotate the crossarm into the next deep notch and thiswill close the circuit 18 again and its lamps will be lighted.

It will be observed, that with this improved cut-out, a plurality oflamp circuits can be extinguished separately and at different times ofthe day or night by an operator located at a central station.

Havin thus fully described the inventiqp, what is c aimed is: v

1. A cut-out of the character described, comprising a, plurality offixed contacts, a plate for engaging said contacts to complete anelectric circuit, a, rod supported by said plate, means for resilientlysup orting and positively moving said plate and rod in one direction andallowing them to operate in the opposite direction by gravity, a fixedframe, and coiiperating means on said rod and frame to allow and preventthe engagement of the plate with said contacts by lnniting and varyingthe degree of reciprocation in the saline direction of said rod.

2. A cut-out of the character described, comprising a plurality of fixedcontacts, a plate for engaging said contacts to complete an electriccircuit, a. rod rotatably supported by said plate, meansfor resilientlysupporting and positively moving said plate and rod in one direction andallowing them to operate in the opfposite direction by gravitv, a. fixedframe, an cooperating means on said rod and frame for rotating said rodto different positions to vary and limit the endwise movement thereof toallow and revent the engagement of the plate with said fixed contacts;

3. cut-out of the character described, comprising a plurality of fixedcontacts, a plate for engaging said contacts to complete an electriccircuit, a rod-supported by said plate, means for resilient] supportingand positively moving said p ate and rod in one direction andiallowingthem to opcrafts in the opposite direction by gravity, :1 fixed frame,and cooperating means on said rod and frame to allow and prevent theengagement of the plate with said fixed confacts on alternate movementsin the same direction of said rod, said resiliently supporting meansbeing constructed to allow said movin means tomove 'hen the platenotches between some of the teeth of one of is stopped %)6f0l6 reachingsaid fixed eonsaid members being deeger than the remaintacts. ingnotches, where y said rod'is allowed to 15 4. A cut-out of r thecharacter described, move farther at one time than another time 5comprising a plurality of fixed contents, a when the rod is moved in thesame direction. plate for engaging said contacts to complete In testimonwhereof I aflix my signature an electric circuit a rodr-su ported bysaid in presence 0 two witnesses. plate and dependlng there rom, means101' resiliently supportln and reciprocating .DANA WESCOTT' 10 saidplate, a pair of xed members having Witnesses:

opposed toothed edges, means on said rod Hanvnr KooN'rz,

for engaging said teeth to rotate the rod, the Human Gnmnz.

